IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/energy/v137y2017icp369-376.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Life cycle assessment of a sewage sludge and woody biomass co-gasification system

Author

Listed:
  • Ramachandran, Srikkanth
  • Yao, Zhiyi
  • You, Siming
  • Massier, Tobias
  • Stimming, Ulrich
  • Wang, Chi-Hwa

Abstract

Replacing a part of energy derived from fossil fuels with bioenergy derived from solid waste streams may be a promising method to tackle the dual crisis of increasing waste pile-up and global climate change. In this study we propose a decentralised sewage sludge and woody biomass co-gasification system for Singapore. We evaluate the greenhouse gas emission of the proposed system and compare it to the existing system through life cycle assessment. The proposed system is expected to provide a net annual emission reduction of 137.0–164.1 kilotonnes of CO2eq. Increase in electricity recovery, carbon sequestration in the biochar produced and the avoidance of the use of supplementary fuel for sewage sludge incineration are the major contributors for the emission reduction. The proposed system is able to increase the net electricity production from sewage sludge and woody biomass by 3–24%. This could lead to an annual increase in electricity recovery of 12.1–74.8 GWh. It is estimated that the proposed system can produce 34 kilotonnes of biochar annually. It is found that decentralisation helps to reduce the annual tonne-km driven by 4.23 million tonne-km which could decrease the number of on-road vehicles required for waste handling.

Suggested Citation

  • Ramachandran, Srikkanth & Yao, Zhiyi & You, Siming & Massier, Tobias & Stimming, Ulrich & Wang, Chi-Hwa, 2017. "Life cycle assessment of a sewage sludge and woody biomass co-gasification system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 137(C), pages 369-376.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:137:y:2017:i:c:p:369-376
    DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2017.04.139
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0360544217307077
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.energy.2017.04.139?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Longden, David & Brammer, John & Bastin, Lucy & Cooper, Nic, 2007. "Distributed or centralised energy-from-waste policy? Implications of technology and scale at municipal level," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 35(4), pages 2622-2634, April.
    2. Murphy, J.D. & McKeogh, E., 2004. "Technical, economic and environmental analysis of energy production from municipal solid waste," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 29(7), pages 1043-1057.
    3. Johannes Lehmann & John Gaunt & Marco Rondon, 2006. "Bio-char Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems – A Review," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 11(2), pages 395-419, March.
    4. Shafie, S.M. & Mahlia, T.M.I. & Masjuki, H.H. & Ahmad-Yazid, A., 2012. "A review on electricity generation based on biomass residue in Malaysia," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 16(8), pages 5879-5889.
    5. Fytili, D. & Zabaniotou, A., 2008. "Utilization of sewage sludge in EU application of old and new methods--A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 12(1), pages 116-140, January.
    6. Dominic Woolf & James E. Amonette & F. Alayne Street-Perrott & Johannes Lehmann & Stephen Joseph, 2010. "Sustainable biochar to mitigate global climate change," Nature Communications, Nature, vol. 1(1), pages 1-9, December.
    7. Umeki, Kentaro & Yamamoto, Kouichi & Namioka, Tomoaki & Yoshikawa, Kunio, 2010. "High temperature steam-only gasification of woody biomass," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 87(3), pages 791-798, March.
    8. Kim, Young Doo & Yang, Chang Won & Kim, Beom Jong & Kim, Kwang Su & Lee, Jeung Woo & Moon, Ji Hong & Yang, Won & Yu, Tae U & Lee, Uen Do, 2013. "Air-blown gasification of woody biomass in a bubbling fluidized bed gasifier," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 112(C), pages 414-420.
    9. Charles H. K. Lam & Alvin W. M. Ip & John Patrick Barford & Gordon McKay, 2010. "Use of Incineration MSW Ash: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 2(7), pages 1-26, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhang, Yaning & Ke, Cunfeng & Fu, Wenming & Cui, Yunlei & Rehan, Mirza Abdullah & Li, Bingxi, 2020. "Simulation of microwave-assisted gasification of biomass: A review," Renewable Energy, Elsevier, vol. 154(C), pages 488-496.
    2. Lui, Jade & Chen, Wei-Hsin & Tsang, Daniel C.W. & You, Siming, 2020. "A critical review on the principles, applications, and challenges of waste-to-hydrogen technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 134(C).
    3. Pecchi, Matteo & Baratieri, Marco, 2019. "Coupling anaerobic digestion with gasification, pyrolysis or hydrothermal carbonization: A review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 105(C), pages 462-475.
    4. Dong, Lei & Tao, Junyu & Zhang, Zhaoling & Yan, Beibei & Cheng, Zhanjun & Chen, Guanyi, 2021. "Energy utilization and disposal of herb residue by an integrated energy conversion system: A pilot scale study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 215(PB).
    5. Casas-Ledón, Yannay & Flores, Mauricio & Jiménez, Romel & Ronsse, Frederik & Dewulf, Jo & Arteaga-Pérez, Luis E., 2019. "On the environmental and economic issues associated with the forestry residues-to-heat and electricity route in Chile: Sawdust gasification as a case study," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 170(C), pages 763-776.
    6. Zhang, Zhe & Liu, Congmin & Liu, Wei & Du, Xu & Cui, Yong & Gong, Jian & Guo, Hua & Deng, Yulin, 2017. "Direct conversion of sewage sludge to electricity using polyoxomatelate catalyzed flow fuel cell," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C), pages 1019-1026.
    7. Octávio Alves & Bruno Garcia & Bruna Rijo & Gonçalo Lourinho & Catarina Nobre, 2022. "Market Opportunities in Portugal for the Water-and-Waste Sector Using Sludge Gasification," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(18), pages 1-16, September.
    8. Fazil, A. & Kumar, Sandeep & Mahajani, Sanjay M., 2022. "Downdraft co-gasification of high ash biomass and plastics," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 243(C).
    9. Ascher, Simon & Watson, Ian & Wang, Xiaonan & You, Siming, 2019. "Township-based bioenergy systems for distributed energy supply and efficient household waste re-utilisation: Techno-economic and environmental feasibility," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 181(C), pages 455-467.
    10. Ardolino, Filomena & Lodato, Concetta & Astrup, Thomas F. & Arena, Umberto, 2018. "Energy recovery from plastic and biomass waste by means of fluidized bed gasification: A life cycle inventory model," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 165(PB), pages 299-314.
    11. Gabbrielli, Roberto & Barontini, Federica & Frigo, Stefano & Bressan, Luigi, 2022. "Numerical analysis of bio-methane production from biomass-sewage sludge oxy-steam gasification and methanation process," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 307(C).
    12. Campos-Guzmán, Verónica & García-Cáscales, M. Socorro & Espinosa, Nieves & Urbina, Antonio, 2019. "Life Cycle Analysis with Multi-Criteria Decision Making: A review of approaches for the sustainability evaluation of renewable energy technologies," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 104(C), pages 343-366.
    13. Dinko Đurđević & Saša Žiković & Paolo Blecich, 2022. "Sustainable Sewage Sludge Management Technologies Selection Based on Techno-Economic-Environmental Criteria: Case Study of Croatia," Energies, MDPI, vol. 15(11), pages 1-23, May.
    14. Kuo, Po-Chih & Illathukandy, Biju & Wu, Wei & Chang, Jo-Shu, 2021. "Energy, exergy, and environmental analyses of renewable hydrogen production through plasma gasification of microalgal biomass," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 223(C).
    15. Tong, Huanhuan & Yao, Zhiyi & Lim, Jun Wei & Mao, Liwei & Zhang, Jingxing & Ge, Tian Shu & Peng, Ying Hong & Wang, Chi-Hwa & Tong, Yen Wah, 2018. "Harvest green energy through energy recovery from waste: A technology review and an assessment of Singapore," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 98(C), pages 163-178.
    16. Fang, Yi & Paul, Manosh C. & Varjani, Sunita & Li, Xian & Park, Young-Kwon & You, Siming, 2021. "Concentrated solar thermochemical gasification of biomass: Principles, applications, and development," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 150(C).
    17. Fang, Yi & Li, Xian & Ascher, Simon & Li, Yize & Dai, Leilei & Ruan, Roger & You, Siming, 2023. "Life cycle assessment and cost benefit analysis of concentrated solar thermal gasification of biomass for continuous electricity generation," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 284(C).
    18. Matteo Baldelli & Lorenzo Bartolucci & Stefano Cordiner & Giorgio D’Andrea & Emanuele De Maina & Vincenzo Mulone, 2023. "Biomass to H2: Evaluation of the Impact of PV and TES Power Supply on the Performance of an Integrated Bio-Thermo-Chemical Upgrading Process for Wet Residual Biomass," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(7), pages 1-17, March.
    19. Tong, Huanhuan & Shen, Ye & Zhang, Jingxin & Wang, Chi-Hwa & Ge, Tian Shu & Tong, Yen Wah, 2018. "A comparative life cycle assessment on four waste-to-energy scenarios for food waste generated in eateries," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 225(C), pages 1143-1157.
    20. Ziółkowski, Paweł & Badur, Janusz & Pawlak- Kruczek, Halina & Stasiak, Kamil & Amiri, Milad & Niedzwiecki, Lukasz & Krochmalny, Krystian & Mularski, Jakub & Madejski, Paweł & Mikielewicz, Dariusz, 2022. "Mathematical modelling of gasification process of sewage sludge in reactor of negative CO2 emission power plant," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 244(PA).

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Huang, Yawen & Tao, Bo & Lal, Rattan & Lorenz, Klaus & Jacinthe, Pierre-Andre & Shrestha, Raj K. & Bai, Xiongxiong & Singh, Maninder P. & Lindsey, Laura E. & Ren, Wei, 2023. "A global synthesis of biochar's sustainability in climate-smart agriculture - Evidence from field and laboratory experiments," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 172(C).
    2. Hammond, Jim & Shackley, Simon & Sohi, Saran & Brownsort, Peter, 2011. "Prospective life cycle carbon abatement for pyrolysis biochar systems in the UK," Energy Policy, Elsevier, vol. 39(5), pages 2646-2655, May.
    3. Jhónatan Reyes-Escobar & Erick Zagal & Marco Sandoval & Rodrigo Navia & Cristina Muñoz, 2015. "Development of a Biochar-Plant-Extract-Based Nitrification Inhibitor and Its Application in Field Conditions," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 7(10), pages 1-12, October.
    4. Münster, Marie & Meibom, Peter, 2011. "Optimization of use of waste in the future energy system," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 1612-1622.
    5. Chaiwatanodom, Paphonwit & Vivanpatarakij, Supawat & Assabumrungrat, Suttichai, 2014. "Thermodynamic analysis of biomass gasification with CO2 recycle for synthesis gas production," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 114(C), pages 10-17.
    6. Huang, Zhen & He, Fang & Zhu, Huangqing & Chen, Dezhen & Zhao, Kun & Wei, Guoqiang & Feng, Yipeng & Zheng, Anqing & Zhao, Zengli & Li, Haibin, 2015. "Thermodynamic analysis and thermogravimetric investigation on chemical looping gasification of biomass char under different atmospheres with Fe2O3 oxygen carrier," Applied Energy, Elsevier, vol. 157(C), pages 546-553.
    7. Estefani Rondón Toro & Ana López Martínez & Amaya Lobo García de Cortázar, 2023. "Sequential Methodology for the Selection of Municipal Waste Treatment Alternatives Applied to a Case Study in Chile," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(9), pages 1-18, May.
    8. Bao Wang & Yujie Li & Jianan Zhou & Yi Wang & Xun Tao & Xiang Zhang & Weiming Song, 2021. "Thermogravimetric and Kinetic Analysis of High-Temperature Thermal Conversion of Pine Wood Sawdust under CO 2 /Ar," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(17), pages 1-16, August.
    9. Alexandre Tisserant & Francesco Cherubini, 2019. "Potentials, Limitations, Co-Benefits, and Trade-Offs of Biochar Applications to Soils for Climate Change Mitigation," Land, MDPI, vol. 8(12), pages 1-34, November.
    10. Song, Biao & Almatrafi, Eydhah & Tan, Xiaofei & Luo, Songhao & Xiong, Weiping & Zhou, Chengyun & Qin, Meng & Liu, Yang & Cheng, Min & Zeng, Guangming & Gong, Jilai, 2022. "Biochar-based agricultural soil management: An application-dependent strategy for contributing to carbon neutrality," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 164(C).
    11. Safarian, Sahar & Unnþórsson, Rúnar & Richter, Christiaan, 2019. "A review of biomass gasification modelling," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 110(C), pages 378-391.
    12. Qitai Eri & Wenzhen Wu & Xinjun Zhao, 2017. "Numerical Investigation of the Air-Steam Biomass Gasification Process Based on Thermodynamic Equilibrium Model," Energies, MDPI, vol. 10(12), pages 1-19, December.
    13. Bogdan Saletnik & Grzegorz Zagula & Marcin Bajcar & Maria Czernicka & Czeslaw Puchalski, 2018. "Biochar and Biomass Ash as a Soil Ameliorant: The Effect on Selected Soil Properties and Yield of Giant Miscanthus (Miscanthus x giganteus)," Energies, MDPI, vol. 11(10), pages 1-24, September.
    14. Isabel Teichmann, 2014. "Technical Greenhouse-Gas Mitigation Potentials of Biochar Soil Incorporation in Germany," Discussion Papers of DIW Berlin 1406, DIW Berlin, German Institute for Economic Research.
    15. Yang, Qing & Han, Fei & Chen, Yingquan & Yang, Haiping & Chen, Hanping, 2016. "Greenhouse gas emissions of a biomass-based pyrolysis plant in China," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 53(C), pages 1580-1590.
    16. Kong, Sieng-Huat & Loh, Soh-Kheang & Bachmann, Robert Thomas & Rahim, Sahibin Abdul & Salimon, Jumat, 2014. "Biochar from oil palm biomass: A review of its potential and challenges," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 39(C), pages 729-739.
    17. Yaming Zhao & Xiangjun Wang & Guangwei Yao & Zhizhong Lin & Laiyuan Xu & Yunli Jiang & Zewen Jin & Shengdao Shan & Lifeng Ping, 2022. "Advances in the Effects of Biochar on Microbial Ecological Function in Soil and Crop Quality," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(16), pages 1-11, August.
    18. Lizhen Qin & Donghoon Shin, 2023. "Effects of UV Light Treatment on Functional Group and Its Adsorption Capacity of Biochar," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(14), pages 1-14, July.
    19. Ram, Narasimhan Kodanda & Singh, Nameirakpam Rajesh & Raman, Perumal & Kumar, Atul & Kaushal, Priyanka, 2020. "Experimental study on performance analysis of an internal combustion engine operated on hydrogen-enriched producer gas from the air–steam gasification," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 205(C).
    20. Vlachokostas, Ch. & Michailidou, A.V. & Achillas, Ch., 2021. "Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis towards promoting Waste-to-Energy Management Strategies: A critical review," Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews, Elsevier, vol. 138(C).

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:energy:v:137:y:2017:i:c:p:369-376. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.journals.elsevier.com/energy .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.